Teetering Questions About Hogs Right Now, But Few Answers

Yes, there are positives but Razorbacks could be hoping backups are good as they think

Author:
Andy Hodges
Publish date:
May 12, 2023 4:09 PM EDT

In this story:

Arkansas Razorbacks

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — Nobody has questions about Arkansas' starting quarterbacks or top two receivers this year. Quarterback KJ Jefferson is proven commodity there with Raheim "Rocket" Sanders and AJ Green proven at running back.

It's what behind them that raises some questions. Just questions because I don't project anything until they've played a couple of SEC games. That's a whole new world and despite what we think we know, nobody really knows until the stands are full, the band is playing, it's the fourth quarter in a close game and somebody better do something.

That's why looking at all these injuries with baseball teams, thinking back to the devastating injury to Trevon Brazile in basketball and we've seen over the years what can happen when the starter goes down in football. The odds are incredibly high based on statistical numbers Jefferson will get dinged at some point in a long season. Running back is one of those positions that experiences the equivalent of 30 car crashes every game. Injuries happen ... a lot.

Guys behind them are good. Everybody hopes they will play the way they look in practice or on film somewhere else for the Razorbacks. Most of the time it happens, but there are plenty of times when someone doesn't meet expectations. There are some cases where they play better, like Drew Sanders did last season at linebacker.

At running back Rashod Dubinion played well at times last year and didn't see a lot of action, but had 239 yards on 71 carries and scored five times. He also caught 12 passes. There isn't nearly as much uncertainty with him.

Both of those positions, though, depend on the offensive line in front of them. Just look at the all-league or All American teams. If there's a time a running back made one of those lists, there is nearly always a lineman on there somewhere. No running back has ever run for 1,000 yards with nobody blocking for him. No quarterback has thrown for 1,000 yards without the blocking and somebody catching the ball. At nearly every level they have to depend on the other guys.

Mostly, though, be able to avoid injuries Like it or not, they are a big part of football. There are numerous times some player didn't perform to expectations or whatever and come to find out he was battling an injury all season long.

Don't even ask about kicker. We have no idea what happens if somebody gets hurt there. Finding the name isn't a problem, but knowing what they'll do in a game until they do it is a guess.

Get ready, though. There's going to be a lot of guessing going on until we at least start playing some league games. Until then we're going to wonder about what's going on we don't really know about. The games is the only time we really know. Those are the only ones that count, by the way.